Straw-stacker



(No Model.) 2 sheets sheetv 1.

P. P. RICHARDS.

I STRAW STAOKER. No. 513,597. Patented Jan. 30,1894.

MkQASSMyeMfOQ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'(No Model.)

P. P. RICHARDS.

STBAW STAOKER.

Patented Jan. 30,1894.

PATENT FFTCEQ FRANK P. RICHARDS, OF EDINBURG, ILLINOIS.

STRAW-STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,597, dated January 30, 1894. Application filed eptember 23, 1892. Serial 446,671. (No model.)

To all whom it may c0n0ern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edinburg, in the county of Christian and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Straw-Stacker, which is fully set forth in this specification and the annexed drawings, to which reference is hereby made.

The purpose of my invention is to provide simple and effective means whereby the straw received from the chute or conveyer of a stacker such as is commonly used, may be automaticallydistributed over the stack and suitably compacted thereon, thereby dispensing with the services of three men on the stack to distribute and compact the straw.

My device may be attached to any of the so called stackers in common use in which the chute that conveys the straw to the stack has an oscillating movement in the arc of a circle.

In practice my device is attached to and oscillates with the chute of the stacker.

My invention is shown in the accompany ing drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stacker connected with the conveyor chute. Fig. 2 is a top view of the stacker detached from the chute, the conveyer on one side being removed so as to show the conveyor shafts. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged de tached View of the means for connecting the stacker with the chute. Fig. 5is an enlarged partial detached view of the extension latch by means of which the sides of the stacker are adjusted relative to each other so as to vary the width of the stack. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached view of one of the upper bearings of the packing rollers. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detached 'view of one of the lower bearings of the packing rollers. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Similar letters indicate similar parts in all the views.

The main frame consists of two sections joined at their upper ends by hinges as hereinafter described.

The end pieces A are of wood and their form is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The

upper ends of the adjacent end pieces are joined by hinges'a. These hingesmay be of any convenient and suitable form, but I profor to usea hinge having a pivotal boltwhich may be easily removed when it is desired to separate the sections of the stacker frame for transportation or any other purpose. The lower ends of the end pieces in each part of the main frame are connected by butt boards B, by which the straw is stopped when carried to the foot of the stacker.

Side pieces 0 connect and strengthen the upper and lower ends of each section of the frame and diagonal braces D further strengthen each section of the frame.

Under and parallel to each end piece and supported in suitable bearings thereon are rollers E which as the stacker oscillates roll upon the straw. and compact it in the stack. These rollers in over-riding the successive layers of straw, as they are placed upon the stack by the conveyers, also serve to raise the stacker frame by degrees, as the process of forming the stack proceeds. This is an important feature of the mechanism, for unless some means were provided for automatically raising the stacker frame, the space between the sections of the frame wouldbe soon clogged with straw, the conveyers would be stopped and if the chute continued to carry straw to the stacker, the straw would over run the stacker frame and fall to the ground at the sides of the stack.

Instead of a roller under each end piece of each section of the frame, one roller under the center of each section may be used without departing from my invention. The bearings which I prefer to use at the upper end of the roller consist of a plate M havingholes m, adapted to receive bolts by which the plate may be secured to the end pieces of the frame and having at its lower end a hole an adapted to receive the spindle of the roller. The bearings whichl prefer to use at the lower end of the roller consists of an angle plateN having holes 01. adapted to receive the same bolts by means of which the butt boards B are secured to the end pieces A, and having at its lower end a hole 01. adapted to receive the lower spindle of the roller. I do not however confine myself to the particular form of bearings described as it is obvious that bearings of different forms may be usedwithout departing from my invention.

Near the upper and lower ends respectively of each section are longitudinal shafts F which are supported in bearings of any suitable and convenient form. Each of these shafts has near each end, pulleys F around which run endless belts F Secured to these belts are equidistant parallel slats F 'and each of these slats is provided with pins f which when the conveyers are in motion serve to seize the straw and drag it downward and deposit it upon the stack. If desired the slats may be dispensed with and the pins or their equivalents may be placed upon endless conveyer belts, and in this case it will be necessary to use only one compacting roller under the center of each section of the frame. The upper conveyer shafts are longer than the lower shafts and one end of each upper shaft projects beyond the end pieces of the frame; and to the projecting end of each shaft is secured a pulley Gwhich by means of a belt g is connected with and driven by a pulley Y on the chute X.

Vertical standards L are supported by staples Z on the end pieces A and a canvas stretched from one standard to the other serves to prevent the straw from being carried over the top of the stacker frame.

The stacker is connected with the chute by means of a loop H. The lower ends of this loop are threaded and provided with nuts 71.. A plate I provided with holes to receive the threaded ends of the loop is held in place on the loop by means of the nuts. To connect the stacker with the chute the loop is so placed that one side of the chute and the adjacent end piece of the stacker are between the members of the loop as shown in Fig. 1. The platell is then placed upon the lower ends of the loop and the nuts are placed upon the loop and turned up until the arch of the loop bears on the upper edge of the side pieces of the chute and the plate bears on the lower edge of the end piece of stacker, thus retaining the parts in proper position relative to each other. I do not however confine myself to the particular form of connection shown, as any other suitable connection by means of which the stacker may be caused to oscillate with the chute may be used without departing from my invention.

I will now describe the means for adjusting the position of the two sections of the frame relative to each other so as to vary the width of the stack. Plates Kare secured near the upper end of both end pieces of one section by. means of bolts passing through holes in the plate and through the holes in the integral lugs k on the plate. The latch K has at one end a hole 7& which fits on the lug k of the plate K. The lower edge of this latch is notched so as to engage with the edge 70 of the plate K Plates K are secured near the upper end of both end pieces of the other section by means of bolts passing through said end pieces and through holes in said plates. The plates K, K are opposite each other so that the latch K may always occupy an approximately horizontal position, thereby nsuring the engagement of the teeth 10 with the edge k of the plate K It is obvious from the description that the latch will retain the sections in whatever position they may be placed as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. I do not confine myself to the particular form of latch shown as any other form of latch may be used which will serve to retain the sections in any position in which they may be set.

The operation of the stacker is as follows: The straw as it is discharged from the thrasher is carried upon an endless conveyer within the chute X up to the upperend' of the chute whence it falls into the space between the upper ends of the endless belt conveyers. The straw is then seized by the conveyers and carried down to the stack. The upper end of the chute X oscillates in the arc of a circle and the stacker being connected with it 0scillates simultaneously so that the straw as distributed in a manner well known will form a stack which is in the form of the arc of a circle. At the beginning of the operation of stacking, the ends of the rollers rest upon the ground and the rollers turn freely in their bearings so as to facilitate the oscillation of the stacker. As the straw accumulates upon the stack the stacker frame oscillates from one end to the other of the stack, and the pressure of the rollers compacts'thestraw upon the stack and as the stack is built up the process of building serves to raise the stacker and this operation is continued until the stack is completed.

One of the especial merits of myinventron is that owing to the peculiar form of the stacker, the straw between the sections of the stacker frame is deposited so that as soon as the stacker is raised from the ground a stack topped out and complete except as to height 1 is formed. This is of great practical advantage as the stack is always in shape to turn water if the operation of stacking is interrupted from any cause whatever.

Another practical merit of my invention is that the services of men upon the stack to distribute and compact the straw is entirely dispensed with.

Another practical merit of my invention is that the upper end of the chute. is supported on the packer frame thereby lessening the strain upon and facilitating the oscillation of the chute, furthermore the weight of the chute and the stacker being upon the stack serve to form a stack of superior form and great stability. The width of the stack and the inclination of its sides may be varied by varying the angle of inclination between the two sections of the stacker frame.

I do not lay any claim to the chute nor to the endless-belt conveyer within the chute as both have been heretofore used.

What I claim as new, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, is

IIO

1. A straw stacker consisting essentially of an A shaped frame, in combination with and moved by a vibrating chute, said frame being provided with means for automatically distributing and compacting the straw on the stack, as set forth and for the purpose stated.

2. The means for raising the stacker frame as the process of forming the stack proceeds, consisting of an oscillating frame provided with rollers on its under sides, said rollers being adapted to over ride the accumulating straw on the stack; in combination with a chute with which said oscillating frame is connected, conveyors on said frame and means for operating said conveyers, as set forth and for the purpose stated.

3. In a straw stacker, the stacker frame consisting of two sections hinged together at their upper ends, said sections being provided with rollers on their under sides and the angle of inclination between said sections being adj ustable, said stacker frame being adapted to be connected with and oscillated by a vibrating chute; in combination with means for carrying the straw to and distributing it upon the stack, as set forth and for the purpose stated.

4. In a straw stacker, the combination of the two sections forming the stacker frame, the hinges joining said sections, the rollers on the under side of said section, the shafts, the pulleys, and the endless-belt conveyers within said sections, the means for operating the conveyers and the means for connecting said frame with the chute, as set forth and for the purpose stated.

5. In a straw stacker the combination of the end pieces of the main frame, the butt boards and the side pieces connecting said end pieces,

the lower bearing plate secured to the butt boards, the upper bearing plates secured to the end pieces, the rollers journaled in the upper and lower bearing plates, the shafts journaled in the end pieces, the pulleys on said shaft, the belts connecting with pulleys on the chute and driving said shafts, the endless belts connecting the pulleys within the sections of the stacker frame, the slats on said belts, the pins on said slats, the standards detachably connected with the end pieces, the canvas joining said standards and the loop connecting the end pieces with the chute, all co-operating, as set forth and for the purpose stated.

6. In a straw stacker the means for distributing and compacting the straw on the stack consisting of an oscillating frame provided with conveyors adapted to carry the straw downward and provided with rollers parallel to the ends of said conveyors, adapted to compact the straw upon the stack; in combination with means for oscillating said frame and means for operating said conveyors, as set forth and for the purpose stated.

7. The combination of an oscillating chute and a stacker frame connectible with said chute, said frame being provided with means for distributing and compacting the straw on the stack and being adapted to rise as the building of the stack progresses, as set forth and for the purpose stated.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, at Springfield, this 7th day of September, 1892.

FRANK P. RICHARDS. In presence of-- TAD A. BAILEY,

H. BRANDON. 

